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THE BLACK CHURCH IN LOS ANGELES:
IS IT DEAD OR ALIVE?
by
Heather Alexandra Hope
A Professional Project Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(BROADCAST JOURNALISM)
December 2011
Copyright 2011 Heather Alexandra Hope

The black church is a sacred institution that has been a pivotal part of American culture since its inception. In many communities, the church serves as more than a place for worship but as a community center, school, daycare facility, homeless shelter and a food pantry. Before black people were considered U.S. citizens, they were taught the basic principles of Christianity while in slavery. Many could not read the Bible and during church services with those of European descent, slaves were forced to be silent and sit in the balcony. The black church was born out of this void of religious expression that identified with the African American culture. ❧ It took on a different look in the 1960s, as the black church was set at the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Popular preachers, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Fred Shuttlesworth led protests while church secretaries and choir members organized made signs and did sit-ins. The black church was synonymous with political activism and served as the dominant social and cultural hub for the African American community. ❧ In later years to present, as African Americans achieved more rights, gained better jobs, and moved out of predominately black neighborhoods, the black church’s role changed as well. It went from being at the focal point of the black community to just another part of it. More businesses were open on Sundays and technology offered social networking opportunities beyond the church grounds. In addition to a generational shift occurring, a geographical shift also took place. Many black churches moved to the suburbs, causing its members to commute while others remained in old neighborhoods that started to become crime infested. ❧ People familiar and unfamiliar with the black church questioned its relevancy. Recently, one professor at Princeton University, Eddie Glaude, Jr., wrote that the black church was dead in a Huffington Post article. This pronouncement sparked debate among various black clergy and scholars in religion. Glaude argued that although numerous African Americans still attend historically black churches, the black church’s political potency and social advocacy had waned and at a time when rates of unemployment, poverty, and incarceration skyrocketed for blacks. ❧ In Los Angeles, many black churches in the city battle those very issues and others not central to the traditional black church. The majority of historically black congregations are situated in largely Hispanic neighborhoods. A fourth of all black churchgoers in L.A. are members of one of five mega-churches. Hollywood has a heavy influence on aspects of the black church in L.A. as well as the temperate and sunny weather. ❧ This thesis documentary examines the state of the black church in L.A. as a political agent and service to the community. By conducting several on-camera interviews with pastors of prominent churches and experts in religion and African American history, the video shows churches addressing heartfelt needs and local epidemics. It also reveals some congregations’ struggle with maintaining traditional values and relevancy and questions the future existence of the black church in the multicultural city of Los Angeles.

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THE BLACK CHURCH IN LOS ANGELES:
IS IT DEAD OR ALIVE?
by
Heather Alexandra Hope
A Professional Project Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(BROADCAST JOURNALISM)
December 2011
Copyright 2011 Heather Alexandra Hope